Old house wiring...

Users who are viewing this thread

bbsux

Custodian
Messages
23
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
Lincoln NE
My house was built around 1910 (had old single wires running through joists with porcelain tubes), then in 1950's or 1960's they remodeled the house to a duplex and changed Most (not all, more on that later) to a early kind of ROMEX® (weaved cloth wrapped silver color with two plastic sheathed wires looks a lot like ROMEX®). No grounds. I've gone thru and pulled new ROMEX® and changed out all the old early ROMEX® to something more modern, with a ground.

When I was doing this I found that several rooms and the porch are using the old single wires!!! They ran the old ROMEX® stuff and used some kind of mickey mouse jury rigged plug to energize the old stuff running through the ceiling of the first floor instead of running new stuff!! I have abandoned it and pulled new stuff.

I have 60 amp service -- (this is the first floor which has its own meter) They ran it into a old main/range (pull out section with two cylinder fuses, range side, 4 Edison fuses). BUT at some point they did this... They took 6 gauge wire and hooked to the range outputs and ran it and a ground over to a QO 100 amp box. I assume they didn't want to pay to change the service. I know its not code. And I don't have the money to change the service. Is it safe? They aren't using any circuits in the old panel, its basically a disconnect.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Southern Man

DIY Hillbilly
Messages
525
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
North Carolina
Can't tell without a detailed inspection. Call 2 or 3 local pros and ask for an estimate on getting it all up to Code. You might find a guy that needs work and is willing to do a reasonable minimum instead of re-wiring the whole house.
 

Drick

In the Trades
Messages
460
Reaction score
19
Points
18
Well, obviously that's a fairly antiquated service, so condition is everything and your the one looking at it. Take a look at the condition of the wiring from the panel back toward the meter as this is most likely original and old.

If the jump to the 100 amp panel is with #6 copper protected with 60amp fuses at the old box, ampacity wise, that should be ok. 60A is not much for a modern day electrical uses, so I would plan on dumping it as soon as you can afford to do so.

Also, the biggest pain in a service change is pulling the old wires out of the old panel and into the new panel. If you stick with the 100 amp panel (assuming is has a 100A main breaker) a service change might not be too costly.
 
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks